Many vehicles include a steering system to enable the operator to maneuver or steer the vehicle. In one example, the steering system includes a steering gear coupled to a hand wheel. The steering gear transmits the operator input from the hand wheel to the one or more road wheels. In some instances, steering gears may transmit vibrations from the one or more road wheels to the operator. Such vibrations may be undesirable to the operator.
In some instances, unintended vibrations can be present in the steering system due to low stability margins. This type of vibration is induced by resonant frequencies in the electromechanical components of the steering system, electronic control system, the design of the control and communication systems, and/or the change of electromechanical properties during a life cycle of a vehicle. Instability of the steering system can cause excessive vibration which can be undesirable to an operator.
Accordingly, it is desirable to provide systems and methods for determining steering performance to reduce undesired vibrations. Furthermore, other desirable features and characteristics of the present invention will become apparent from the subsequent detailed description and the appended claims, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and the foregoing technical field and background.